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Side-by-side financial comparison of Lamb Weston (LW) and MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC (MSM). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Lamb Weston is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.6B vs $965.7M, roughly 1.6× MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC). MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC runs the higher net margin — 5.4% vs 3.5%, a 1.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.0% vs 2.9%). MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($7.4M vs $-36.3M). Over the past eight quarters, Lamb Weston's revenue compounded faster (-1.5% CAGR vs -3.4%).

Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. is an American food processing company that is one of the world's largest producers and processors of frozen french fries, waffle fries, and other frozen potato products. It is headquartered in Eagle, Idaho, a suburb of Boise.

MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc (MSC), through its subsidiaries, primarily MSC Industrial Supply Co., is one of the largest industrial equipment distributors in the United States, distributing more than 1.5 million metalworking and other industrial products.

LW vs MSM — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
LW
LW
1.6× larger
LW
$1.6B
$965.7M
MSM
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MSM
MSM
+1.1% gap
MSM
4.0%
2.9%
LW
Higher net margin
MSM
MSM
1.9% more per $
MSM
5.4%
3.5%
LW
More free cash flow
MSM
MSM
$43.7M more FCF
MSM
$7.4M
$-36.3M
LW
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
LW
LW
Annualised
LW
-1.5%
-3.4%
MSM

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Revenue
$1.6B
$965.7M
Net Profit
$54.0M
$51.8M
Gross Margin
21.2%
40.7%
Operating Margin
8.1%
7.9%
Net Margin
3.5%
5.4%
Revenue YoY
2.9%
4.0%
Net Profit YoY
-63.0%
11.1%
EPS (diluted)
$0.39
$0.93

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
$1.6B
Q4 25
$1.6B
$965.7M
Q3 25
$1.7B
$978.2M
Q2 25
$1.7B
$971.1M
Q1 25
$1.5B
Q4 24
$1.6B
$928.5M
Q3 24
$1.7B
Q2 24
$1.6B
$979.4M
Net Profit
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
$54.0M
Q4 25
$62.1M
$51.8M
Q3 25
$64.3M
$56.5M
Q2 25
$119.9M
$56.8M
Q1 25
$146.0M
Q4 24
$-36.1M
$46.6M
Q3 24
$127.4M
Q2 24
$129.6M
$71.7M
Gross Margin
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
21.2%
Q4 25
20.0%
40.7%
Q3 25
20.6%
40.4%
Q2 25
20.4%
41.0%
Q1 25
27.8%
Q4 24
17.4%
40.7%
Q3 24
21.5%
Q2 24
24.1%
40.9%
Operating Margin
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
8.1%
Q4 25
8.6%
7.9%
Q3 25
9.4%
8.6%
Q2 25
11.1%
8.5%
Q1 25
16.4%
Q4 24
1.2%
7.8%
Q3 24
12.8%
Q2 24
13.2%
10.9%
Net Margin
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
3.5%
Q4 25
3.8%
5.4%
Q3 25
3.9%
5.8%
Q2 25
7.2%
5.9%
Q1 25
9.6%
Q4 24
-2.3%
5.0%
Q3 24
7.7%
Q2 24
8.0%
7.3%
EPS (diluted)
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
$0.39
Q4 25
$0.44
$0.93
Q3 25
$0.46
$1.02
Q2 25
$0.84
$1.02
Q1 25
$1.03
Q4 24
$-0.25
$0.83
Q3 24
$0.88
Q2 24
$0.89
$1.27

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$57.5M
$40.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$3.6B
$214.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.8B
$1.4B
Total Assets
$7.4B
$2.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.99×
0.16×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
$57.5M
Q4 25
$82.7M
$40.3M
Q3 25
$98.6M
$56.2M
Q2 25
$70.7M
$71.7M
Q1 25
$67.5M
Q4 24
$79.0M
$57.3M
Q3 24
$120.8M
Q2 24
$71.4M
$25.9M
Total Debt
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
$3.6B
Q4 25
$3.6B
$214.1M
Q3 25
$3.7B
$168.8M
Q2 25
$3.7B
$285.0M
Q1 25
$3.7B
Q4 24
$3.7B
$289.9M
Q3 24
$3.4B
Q2 24
$3.4B
$299.8M
Stockholders' Equity
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
$1.8B
Q4 25
$1.8B
$1.4B
Q3 25
$1.8B
$1.4B
Q2 25
$1.7B
$1.4B
Q1 25
$1.6B
Q4 24
$1.6B
$1.4B
Q3 24
$1.8B
Q2 24
$1.8B
$1.4B
Total Assets
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
$7.4B
Q4 25
$7.3B
$2.5B
Q3 25
$7.2B
$2.5B
Q2 25
$7.4B
$2.5B
Q1 25
$7.4B
Q4 24
$7.5B
$2.5B
Q3 24
$7.5B
Q2 24
$7.4B
$2.5B
Debt / Equity
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
1.99×
Q4 25
2.08×
0.16×
Q3 25
2.05×
0.12×
Q2 25
2.12×
0.21×
Q1 25
2.25×
Q4 24
2.26×
0.21×
Q3 24
1.87×
Q2 24
1.92×
0.21×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$65.2M
$29.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-36.3M
$7.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-2.3%
0.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
6.5%
2.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.21×
0.57×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$569.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
$65.2M
Q4 25
$178.4M
$29.4M
Q3 25
$352.0M
Q2 25
$868.3M
$151.6M
Q1 25
$56.0M
Q4 24
$99.1M
$101.9M
Q3 24
$330.2M
Q2 24
$798.2M
$143.5M
Free Cash Flow
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
$-36.3M
Q4 25
$101.0M
$7.4M
Q3 25
$274.4M
Q2 25
$230.1M
$100.7M
Q1 25
$-19.8M
Q4 24
$-49.6M
$81.7M
Q3 24
$4.3M
Q2 24
$-131.3M
$114.0M
FCF Margin
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
-2.3%
Q4 25
6.2%
0.8%
Q3 25
16.5%
Q2 25
13.7%
10.4%
Q1 25
-1.3%
Q4 24
-3.1%
8.8%
Q3 24
0.3%
Q2 24
-8.1%
11.6%
Capex Intensity
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
6.5%
Q4 25
4.8%
2.3%
Q3 25
4.7%
Q2 25
38.1%
5.2%
Q1 25
5.0%
Q4 24
9.3%
2.2%
Q3 24
19.7%
Q2 24
57.7%
3.0%
Cash Conversion
LW
LW
MSM
MSM
Q1 26
1.21×
Q4 25
2.87×
0.57×
Q3 25
5.47×
Q2 25
7.24×
2.67×
Q1 25
0.38×
Q4 24
2.18×
Q3 24
2.59×
Q2 24
6.16×
2.00×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

LW
LW

Segments North America$1.0B66%
Segments International$529.8M34%

MSM
MSM

Segment breakdown not available.

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